How to Cope with Car Crash

Many of you may regard car accidents as true tragedies thinking that it just can not happen to you but in fact, no matter how perfect you drive, the road is not all yours and you can not control what other drivers do. Therefore, acknowledging that the unfortunate event might happen is the smartest thing you can do.

Once you've realized that you're still alive, you need to know what legal and medical steps to take. Here is some essential information you need to be aware of in order to take the correct action at the scene of the accident.

Don’t panic

Of course it’s more difficult for a woman to remain calm in such a situation and control your feelings and reactions, but is panic going to help you in any way? Obviously no, so try at least not to become hysterical when you see the damage to your car, as this will only make the other driver feel defensive. Think calmly about whether or not you may have been at fault. After most accidents people don't always remember what happened until hours afterwards. If the accident didn't happen because of you, be assertive and make sure the other driver acknowledges the mistake, so there is no room for doubt later.

If somebody is hurt, call an ambulance

I remember my dad was always telling me: if you crash the car, it’s ok because it’s metal and you can easily fix it, but the important thing when driving is to avoid human injuries. Let's assume, however, that you have paid enough attention, but someone got hurt in the accident. Needless to say, the damage caused to humans is far more important than the damage caused to the car. In this case, what you have to do immediately is to call for an ambulance. If there are any unconscious or severely injured victims, don't move them without a professional diagnosis.

Call the police

There is no way you can solve the problem without calling the police. The police have to be involved, to take down statements for legal, criminal and insurance purposes. You can not decide by yourself who’s right and who’s wrong. If the drivers involved are over the legal alcohol limit or have any illegal substances in their body, now it is the only time to prove this. The wisest thing you could do is to insist on the police assistance even if the other driver doesn’t want this. More importantly, if the other accident participant doesn’t want to call the police, then something fishy is surely going on.

Leave the vehicles the way they are

In case there are seriously injured parties, the vehicles involved in the car crash should not be moved until the police have marked the exact position of the vehicles at the moment of impact. But if no one was injured in the car accident, you may move the vehicles so that you don’t disturb the traffic.

Don’t forget about details about the other driver involved in the accident

It’s highly important to know some information about the other driver that was part of the accident. Don't let him/her leave the scene of the accident without giving you as much information as possible. Take their mobile hone, home and office telephone numbers, employment details, home address as well as the details of their insurance companies (in case they are insured against accidents).

Witnesses to the accident

If due to the car accident, there are any complaints or court action, witnesses to the scene may be your only defense. Don’t neglect taking down witnesses’ contact details and try to keep them (if possible) at the accident scene until the police get there.

Let you car insurance company know about the accident

Even if you were not guilty for the accident and don’t plan to submit a claim to your insurance company, you must inform them of the accident you have been part of. If the other driver is not insured, you may need to ask your own insurance company to get your car repaired. Of course, the other driver must pay for the repair costs.

Consider having a medical check afterwards

You may be feeling ok after the accident, but it’s important to have a medical check. You may have suffered internal injuries you are not aware of and their consequences might only be seen after some time.

All in all, being part of a car crash is surely not a pleasant event to be part of, so in order to avoid it as much as possible, try to drive carefully by anticipating other drivers' moves. Sometimes driving is like a chess game: if you don't think with 5-6 moves in advance, you are check mate.